Mick Jagger talked last night of his sadness over the uncertain fate of the El Mocambo -- site of the Rolling Stones' legendary live show in 1977 attended by Margaret Trudeau.

The Toronto club's new owner, the proprietor of the dance studio National Dance Of Canada, is said to be moving his offices into the ElMo's second floor -- the scene of memorable gigs by the Stones and Elvis Costello, among others.

"That's rather sad," said Jagger, 58, in a phone interview from Los Angeles to promote the Nov. 20 release of his latest solo album, Goddess In The Doorway.

"I'm sad to see it go but I'm glad it's not going to be pulled down and being made a highrise. I suppose there's worse things in life than dancing, but I'm rather sad it won't be a club any more. I hadn't heard about it."

The new owner has said he hopes to continue booking music acts on the club's main floor but with the eviction of booker Dan Burke coming at the beginning of next month, there's skepticism over whether that will actually happen.

When asked what his biggest memory was about the Stones ElMo gig, which was recorded for the band's Love You Live release, Jagger said: "During the rehearsal of the El Mocambo gig I wrote the song Miss You. So I remember that 'cause I was waiting for everyone in the band to turn up and I was with Billy Preston, and Billy Preston was playing the kick drum and I was always playing the guitar and I wrote Miss You on that so I remember that moment very well."

Of course, there were also the headlines the next day about Trudeau, still married to then-prime minister Pierre Trudeau, being guitarist Ron Wood's date for the evening.

"And I remember the Margaret Trudeau incident," Jagger said with a chuckle. "Oh, my God. It was an instant Toronto fun-filled packed night!"

Strangely enough, Jagger just performed Miss You at this past Saturday night's star-studded Concert for New York held at Madison Square Garden.

"I was very pleased to do it because it was, first of all, something I felt close to, and a good cause and also it sounded like it was going to be a fun evening."

Jagger, who just sold his New York City residence of 12 years a couple of months ago, says he certainly feels a connection to the city.

"I lived there for a long time so I have a huge sympathy with the town. I identified with it perhaps more than any other city in the United States so I know it very well. Yeah, you feel a great closeness especially when there's trouble, you do. I mean I was in New York from the mid-'70s onwards when it was like a really terrible time there, garbage piled high in the streets, and you didn't like walking around and now it's slightly on the up-and-up."

One surprise on Saturday night was that Jagger was joined by an unbilled Stones guitarist Keith Richards on stage.

"He decided he wanted to do it at the last minute and I always wanted to do it with him and I was very pleased," explained Jagger. "And I gave him a ring and said, 'It's all coming together,' because the thing about these events you never know what they're going to be like, it's a bit hit-and-miss sometimes."

As for whether Richards' presence meant all is forgiven -- it's been previously reported he was upset that the Stones frontman was concentrating on his solo career and film projects this year instead of doing a band album and tour -- Jagger said that's not true.

"I don't think he was mad at all. I don't think we ever intended to do any touring this year. We were always talking about working next year and we've been planning what we're going to do. We're going to be working next year which is coming up to our 40th anniversary."

Still, Jagger refused to speculate whether the Stones, who formed in 1962, would go back to into the studio before hitting the road.

"I think there should be something new and good out there but what it's going to be, I don't know."